POSSESSING THE LAND

SERMON STARTER

        My bone/shoulder doctor, Dr. Guzzo, has just finished ten years of battlefield orthopedic surgery in Afghanistan. He asked me the question that had troubled him the most about the horrific killing, death and dying in that forlorn country. How could mankind use religion and reconcile all that inhumanity to mankind with the idea of God? He asked his "Chappie," the military nickname for chaplain, and was now asking me.

SPIN OFF QUESTIONS:

1. How do we reconcile that God is Love, but God allows human and animal suffering and death?

2. Did God create evil in the first place?

MY ANSWER IS COMPLEX:

1) Word "Kill" in the sixth commandment (Exodus 20:13) is more accurately rendered "murder." Another way to look at the word is, "man slayer."

2) Middle Eastern mankind have always been violent and had a murderous mistrust of one another.

3) David, we love his Psalms, is a man after God's own heart, but isn't allowed to build the House of the Lord.

"Saul has killed his thousands, but David has killed his ten thousands." 1 Samuel 29:5  David is a warrior and acquainted with warfare and the killing of his enemies.

4) Elijah executes Jezebel's four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. 1 Kings 18:40

5) Read the book of Joshua, today's text, and learn how the early children of Israel occupied their homeland by the sword, death and killing of every man, woman, child and animal. Joshua 1:1-9

The book runs red with blood.

6) Technically, God allowed His own Son to be tortured and killed on a Roman Cross and something wonderful came from His death: Salvation for all mankind.

POSSESSING THE LAND?

        There is a battle and there is a war. The war and the land we hope to possess and win will not be won with M-16s; it will be won with John 3:16, which tells us that God loved the world so much that he gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
        Real "Homeland security" will never be achieved until we secure a new homeland—a heavenly citizenship—which can only be obtained through placing our faith in Jesus Christ.

"This world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue"

Real "Homeland Security" will be achieved when:

1) Jesus is your King, who rules your unruly, angry heart; (We don't need a majority elected Chief Executive. We need the minority accepted One who Bled and Died for your sins on a Roman Cross)

2) Your heart belongs to Jesus. Your whole heart accepting Him into it is your admission to His Kingdom.

3) His Word which is its Law of His Kingdom has no borders, no limits, but Today's text and concept is allegorical. . .The war is in us, the land we hope to possess is in human hearts. . Our battles are fought mostly in the mind and heart. . .

Sheepfold Ministries, Pastor Phil Roland

September 18, 2011

 

POSSESSING THE LAND

JOSHUA 1:1-9

“It is not enough to know ABOUT your inheritance.  You are to Possess the Land God has given you.  Do not just to be preoccupied about His Coming, you are to Possess the Land and Occupy It until He comes!”       Pastor Phil

 

"Then the LORD said to me, 'Arise, begin your journey before the people, that they may go in and possess the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.'"     Deuteronomy 10:11 (NKJV)

 

I.  JESUS IS OUR SPIRITUAL JOSHUA

          A. Joshua broke the power of Earthly Authorities - Josh. 11:23

                “Joshua took the entire land, just as the LORD had directed Moses. . .”

            B. Jesus broke the power of Spiritual Authorities - Col. 2:15

            “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public                                       spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” 

                        1. Archay - First, Beginning Ones - Principalities - Rulers

                        2. Exousia - Authority, Power, Right

            C. Joshua in Hebrew: "Ya-Shu-ah" -  "Ya" is Salvation

                        1. He is one who leads us to God's Salvation and Victory

                        2. Jesus is our Victory over Sin, Death, the World, the Devil

 

II. JESUS WARNED US ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF THE ENEMY

          A. Joshua and the Men of Judah DID NOT Possess all the Land

                   1. The people of the plain had Iron Chariots - Judges 1:19

                        “The LORD was with the men of Judah. They took possession of the                                      hill country, but they were unable to drive the people from the

                         plains, because they had iron chariots.”

                               a. Technologically Advanced for their times

                                    b. They Moved Fast - Men of Judah couldn't catch them

                                    c. Had Armor - Men of Judah couldn't stop them

                                    d. Spiritual Principle: You must not FEAR the Enemy

                   2. This Tribe Negotiated a Truce w/ their Enemy - Judges 1:21

                        "But the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who

                         inhabited Jerusalem; so the Jebusites dwell with the children of

                         Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day."

                             a. Palestinian Problem still persists today

                                    b. The struggle is thousands of years old

                                    c. Will an Arab negotiate w/a Jew? Hmmm. . .

                                    d. Spiritual Principle: You cannot make a deal w/Enemy

                        3. This Tribe Decided NOT to use Force - Judges 1:27

                        "However, Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean                          and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of                                  Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or  

POSSESSING THE LAND, cont., p.2

 

                         the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; for the Canaanites were                           determined to dwell in that land."

                                    a. Placators - Agree w/both sides, They were here first!

                                    b. "Peace at any cost" "Let's live in harmony!"

                                    c. Spiritual Principle:

                                                You cannot Live Together w/the Enemy

                        4. The Enemy was to be Taxed - Judges 1:28
                        "And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the

                         Canaanites under tribute, but did not completely drive them out."

                                    a. Tax the Enemy? You must be kidding!

                                    b. The Enemy will pay taxes on $$$ he steals from you

                                    c. Spiritual Principle: Cannot serve God and Mammon

                        5. Disobedience Precedes Calamity - Judges 2:15
                                "Whenever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them

                         for calamity, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn to

                         them. And they were greatly distressed."

                                    a. What you Sow is what you Reap

                                    b. It's better to Obey than to Sacrifice

     B. Israel's Disobedience brought them Canaanite Baal Worship            

            Judges 2:11-12
            "Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the

             Baals; 12 and they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who had brought

             them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among

             the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to

             them; and they provoked the LORD to anger."

                        1. Spiritual Principles: If God says Do It, then Do It!

                        2. Not Killing or Driving out the Canaanites brought Idolatry

                  3. Not Obeying God's Word brought Discord to the Present

      C. Jesus Granted us Possession of the Land

                  1. He gave power to His people to Possess - John 14:12

                      “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have                              been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am

                         going to the Father.”

                        2. He destroyed the Devil’s Work - 1 John 3:8

                        “He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has                                been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God

                         appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”

                        3. We join with Him in this Routing of Evil, especially in us

                        4. We oppose the Evil One and all his works - James 4:67

                        "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the

                         proud, But gives grace to the humble." 7 Therefore submit to God.

                         Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

 

III. JESUS HAS GIVEN HIS WORD, ARMOR AND A BATTLE

          A. His Word to the Church - Matt. 28:18-20

            "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given

             to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the

POSSESSING THE LAND, cont., p.3

 

            nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the

            Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded

            you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

            A. Disciples -"Mathetayse" - Lifelong "Learners" - Followers

                                    1. Develop a hunger in mankind to know more about                                                 Jesus and His Word

                                    2. Cultivate in yourself and others the character of Jesus

                                    3. Create a Climate for Learning and Understanding

            B. His Armor for His Church - Ephesians 6:10-18

                                "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His

                         might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to

                         stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against

                         flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against

                         the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of

                         wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole

                         armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and

                         having done all, to stand."

            C. Put It On! Put the Armor on! - Ephesians 6:14-18

                                    1. Belt of Truth - v. 14a
                                     "Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth. . ."

                                    2. Breastplate of Righteousness - v. 14b

                                    "having put on the breastplate of righteousness,"
                                    3. Shoes with the Gospel of Peace - v. 15                                                                    "and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel

                                     of peace;"
                                    4. Shield of Faith - v. 16

                                    "above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be

                                     able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one."
                                    5. Helmet of Salvation - v. 17a

                                    "And take the helmet of salvation,

                                    6. The Sword of the Spirit - v. 17b

                                    "and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;"
                                    7. Continuous Prayer - v. 18                               

                                    "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,

                                     being watchful to this end with all perseverance and

                                     supplication for all the saints--"

            D. His Battle for the Church - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

            "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

            4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for

             pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing

             that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into

             captivity to the obedience of Christ,"

 POSSESSING THE LAND

Joshua 1:1-9 (NKJV)
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying:
2 "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them--the children of Israel.
3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory.
5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.
6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."